TUNNEL MEN BACK WITH 10d AN HOUR

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30530, 27 August 1964, Page 1

TUNNEL MEN BACK WITH 10d AN HOUR

(New Zealand Press Association? INVERCARGILL, August 26. The 140 workers on the Manapouri power scheme access tunnel contract at West Arm will report for work at 8 a.m. tomorrow. An official of the West Arm Workers’ Committee, Mr G. Muller, said tonight the men had made that decision unanimously at a meeting this afternoon.

The strike will have held up work on this key contract in the £27.5 million power scheme for 13 days.

Mr Muller said the men accepted the lOd an hour wage increase gained for them in negotiation between the Federation of Labour and the contractors, Morrison-Downer-Fletcher, and also the improvement in conditions which would result from negotiation between a job delegate and the contractors.

Mr Muller said the men were returning to work on the understanding that it was now established that they were represented by the New Zealand Workers’ Union. He said the men laid great store by the statement of the acting president of the

union, Mr W. A. Dempster, of Christchurch, that the matter of union representation was now settled. No other union but the Workers’ Union was acceptable to the men on the job. If it transpired that the matter was not settled more trouble could result. Mr Muller agreed that the men on the job should choose the union to represent them. They had chosen the Workers’ Union and would look to it for coverage. Four members of the F.O.L. national executive, headed by the president (Mr T. E. Skinner) met contractors’ representatives in Wellington last evening and again this morning, according to a Wellington message. Mr Skinner said this afternoon the following agreement had been reached: — (1) That an increase of lOd

an hour will be paid to all men on the site on the resumption of work. This includes the general wage order of August 19, but does not take into consideration further general wage orders. (2) A bonus system will be instituted by agreement with the men for all work done in the tunnel. (3) The men will elect a representative to take up with management the accommodation and living conditions on the site. (4) The Department of Labour will send a representative to the job to inspect the site to ensure that living conditions and accommodation are at least up to public works standard. (5) Any variation in the rates of this agreement will be negotiated with the men on the site, the Federation of Labour, and the contractors.